WASHINGTON-- Rep. Joe Barton, R-Tex, has plunged the Republican Party into turmoil with his blurted apology to the CEO of BP for what he called President Obama's "shakedown" of the oil giant, possibly changing the midterm election dynamics.

BALTIMORE — “Criminal negligence. The verdict is guilty!” That was the message proclaimed by pickets walking near a local BP gas station here June 12 as British Petroleum’s gusher continued to spew 80,000 barrels of crude oil daily into the Gulf of Mexico. There is no end in sight of this nightmare.